Intervention
by tlyxor1
Summary: Oneshot. After Finn proposes, before Rachel accepts, Puck gives his opinion the only way Rachel can understand. With a song, of course, because music is her life. AU.


**Intervention **

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Glee. All recognisable characters, content or locations belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.

**Summary:** After Finn proposes, before Rachel accepts, Puck gives his opinion the only way Rachel can understand. AU.

**Rating:** T for Puck's language.

**Author:** tlyxor1.

Puck strummed his guitar, nervous despite himself. What he was about to do would damage he and Finn's friendship beyond repair, but honestly, it had been a long time coming. Whatever the case, Rachel _needed_ to hear what _everyone_ had to say, but unless it was said through song, Rachel wouldn't hear it and they _all_ knew it.

Hence: Puck's intervention.

He only hoped it wasn't too late.

Quinn met his gaze when she entered the room, expression grave. This had stopped being about the Finn/Quinn/Puck/Rachel fuckery a while ago, but damn, he was tired of coming back here, to this place, fighting for a girl who couldn't see him beyond her Finn-tinted glasses. It wasn't even about getting the girl anymore but rather, getting the girl out of Lima and damn, but Finn was a stubborn bastard who wouldn't let her go for the life of him.

Puck just hoped that Rachel would see the light soon enough.

When Mr Schuester finally arrived - late, as usual - Puck cleared his throat and therefore garnered everyone's attention. "Can I start off today, Mr Schue?"

"The stage is yours, Puck," Mr Schuester agreed.

Puck wiped his sweating palms on his jeans, picked up his guitar and made his way on stage. He settled on the stool available, arranged the microphone to his specifications and coughed before he began the guitar intro to his chosen piece. The band joined him and shortly thereafter, he began to sing.

"_She said goodbye to her parents' house_

_Kissed her Daddy while her mama cried_

_Boarded a train like a carousel_

_She hummed the song that the ice cream man played when he drove by_

_Oh my My My_

_She loves Ohio in the summertime."_

Puck licked his lips, kept his gaze above his classmates' heads and suddenly regretted letting Quinn and Santana strong arm him into doing this. But then, Quinn and Santana would always be important to him for their own respective reasons. it was then no surprise that they'd been able to talk him into trying to persuade another of the six most important women in his life from making the biggest mistake of her own. Whatever the case, it was too late to back out now. The show must go on, after all.

Forever ago, Rachel had taught him that.

"_White picket fences offer no defenses_

_And the children laugh in the streets _

_but that's not all she needs._"

Mustering up all of the courage he possessed, Noah sought out Rachel's gaze in the crowd and tried to decipher the emotion in her eyes. She hadn't yet answered Finn's out of the blue proposal and damn, but Puck only hoped that none of them were too late.

According to Quinn and Santana, of everyone, Puck was the one with the biggest chance of getting through to Rachel's skull and though Puck was doubtful, he was at least willing to give it a shot.

Quinn and Santana had already tried in their own ways but considering their questionable past with Rachel, it was probably no surprise that both had failed quite spectacularly.

In that same vain, Puck wasn't at all sure what he'd accomplish with this performance but the absolute obliteration of whatever dregs were left of he and Finn's friendship, but what the fuck ever, he was pretty sure he'd been in love with Rachel for his entire goddamn life, so if he could at least get her out of this godforsaken dead end town, then sure, he'd serenade her to his heart's content.

"_Says, "There's a great big world out there and I wanna see it_

_There's a great big world out there and there's a place for me in it_

_Though I'll miss my mother and the friends I know_

_The light burns out if you wait too long_

_There's a great big world I see and it's waiting out there for me._"

He looked to the rest of the original Gleeks, three years on, older, a little bit wiser and most absolutely certain that Finn's proposal was the stupidest thing he'd ever done. His gaze, however, returned to Rachel and for a short moment, he let his mask fall. For that brief instance, he let her see all the words he couldn't say.

"_She hits the city with half a tank_

_In a car she bought from a ring she pawned_

_She spent the summer by happenstance_

_There was a boy who could read her thoughts with his deep brown eyes_

_Oh my My My_

_But when he'd drink he was a different kind._"

A brief glance at Finn saw that his once best friend was turning red, fists clenched around the arms of his chair. Puck looked away. A brief pang of guilt cut down his spine, but then he caught Rachel's gaze, a whirlwind of emotions and he remembered why he was doing this. Rachel needed to get out of Lima - she always had - but as long as she was tied down by Finn, that wouldn't happen.

Along time ago, Puck had promised Rachel New York and he was determined to see that promise through. Even if it meant he'd break every other one he'd made. Even if it meant neither of them would get the girl.

Surprisingly, Noah was okay with that possibility. Then again, he'd probably been subconsciously preparing for that eventuality for a long time.

"_Though white picket fences shook her defences_

_And children danced in her dreams_

_That's not all she needs."_

"_Says, "There's a great big world out there and I wanna see it_

_There's a great big world out there and there's a place for me in it_

_Though I'll miss my mother and the friends I know_

_The light burns out if you wait too long_

_There's a great big world I see and it's waiting out there for me."_

He focused on his guitar during the brief instrumental interlude, courage lost. He didn't think he could look at anyone in the audience then, most especially not Rachel, for whom he was doing this goddamn performance. He'd thought 'Sweet Caroline' was the last time he'd sing for Rachel Berry.

""_I've never felt so alone_

_I've never felt so alive_

_I've never been so sure I could learn to fly_

"_I've never felt so alone_

_I've never felt so alive_

_I've never been so sure I could learn to fly._"

_Puck slumped in relief, glad that the song was almost over. He dared a glance upwards and was surprised to see Rachel with tears in her eyes but his playing didn't falter. Mostly because he was used to seeing her crying during performances, but still, it was rather surprising._

"_Inside her wallet's a photograph_

_Of the place she's from and the ones she loves._

"_But, "There's a great big world out there and I wanna see it_

_There's a great big world out there and there's a place for me in it_

_Though I'll miss my mother and the friends I know_

_The light burns out if you wait too long_

_There's a great big world I see and it's waiting out there for me"_

"_I've never felt so alone_

_I've never felt so alive_

_I've never been so sure I could learn to fly_

"_I've never felt so alone_

_I've never felt so alive_

_I've never been so sure I could learn to fly._"

Rather than stick around to watch the fallout, Puck gathered his things, packed up his guitar and left, his heart still thundering in his chest. He reached the parking lot, deposited his things into the back of his truck and shook his head before he could start second guessing himself. The intervention was a necessary evil and goddamn, but he wouldn't regret that. If it worked than fan-fucking-tastic, but if not, at least he could say he tried.

With a heavy exhale, Noah lifted himself into the cab of his truck, ignited the engine and made his way home. Rebekah was already there, engrossed in an episode of Hannah Montana and not moving any time soon. He let her be, headed into his bedroom and finished up the light amount of homework he'd been assigned that day. Artie had been tutoring him for the last year to help get his GPA up and now sitting on a steady 3.5, Puck wasn't the only one proud of his accomplishment.

After he'd finished, Puck withdrew his phone from his backpack, somewhat surprised by the texts he found waiting for him there, all of which complimented his performance in one form or another.

In the midst of replying to them, he received another text, this one from Rachel.

_I broke up with Finn. Thank you. R_.

**Author's Note:** My first Glee story. I tried to get the characterisation right, though I doubt I succeeded. I only watched six episodes of season one, after all. Please, any constructive criticism would be appreciated.

The song is 'Great Big World' by Ron Pope. If you've not heard of it, than give it a listen. You won't be disappointed.

Drop me a review

-t


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